Current Sermons

The Actions of the Shepherds

Although shunned by society, the shepherds of Bethlehem were actually a very special group of men. History tells us the sheep used for sacrifices in the temple at Jerusalem were provided by shepherds around Jerusalem, most notably the shepherds of Bethlehem. They were diligent workers, even working into the night to watch and protect their “investment.”

One night their lives were changed forever. They were greeted by angels, messengers from heaven. They were told of a new Lamb who had been born which stirred their hearts so much they decided to check it out. They came quickly to the venue they were very familiar with … a stable, and with the information given to them by the angels they knew how to identify this special Lamb. He would be lying in the feeding trough and he would be wrapped in strips of cloth by his poor mother and earthly father.

THIS CHRISTMAS WE SHOULD DO WHAT THE SHEPHERDS DID…

1) THEY FOCUSED ON THE GIFT. Their focus was where ours should be also…on Jesus! Luke 2:15 — “And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”

Every year it seems to get harder and harder to keep the peripheral things surrounding Christmas from taking over and diverting out attention away from Jesus Christ.

2) THEY ADJUSTED TO THE FATHER’S ACTIVITY. Their urgency was as ours should be. Luke 2:16 — ” And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”

They let God determined their schedule. They put His work ahead of their own.They stopped what they were doing, and came straight to Bethlehem, and they came in haste. They were urgent about joining God in what He was doing, coming into town in the middle of the night was not on their “to do” list that day…but they came immediately.